World of Final Fantasy Review Roundup

World of Final Fantasy released this week, and critics have delivered their verdicts on the Final Fantasy spinoff.

The game features multiple classic Final Fantasy characters, but the combat isn't like other games in the series. In World of Final Fantasy, you'll do most of your battling with monsters, only summoning classic Final Fantasy characters after you've met them in the story and dealt enough damage in battle. You can try it before putting down money, thanks to a demo that's available for PS4 and Vita.

We've collected a series of review scores and editor opinions and compiled them into an easy-to-read list below. For an even wider view of the critical reception, check out GameSpot sister site Metacritic.

"Unfortunately, you have to put up with a fair amount of frustration and filler before you get to enjoy the best of what World of Final Fantasy has to offer, namely charming writing and Final Fantasy fan service. If you're willing to put up with some of the game's mundane sequences, you'll get some enjoyment out of it, but if you're not a Final Fantasy fanatic, the magic in these moments may be lost altogether." -- Heidi Kemps [full review]

Shacknews -- 9/10

"As the 30th anniversary of Final Fantasy approaches, there's no better way to celebrate the adventures that we've treasured than World of Final Fantasy. Even though the game is a huge crossover event, by making everything make sense in its own world of Grymoire, the game doesn't rely exclusively on nostalgia to hook players. Even though you'll see Sephiroth, Squall, and other friends in your quest, even those who somehow don't know these iconic characters can get enjoyment out of the great gameplay and lighthearted story of World of Final Fantasy." -- Brittany Vincent [full review]

GamesBeat -- 8.5/10

"World of Final Fantasy will please fans of one of gaming's longest-running series. But I think it'll also help find new players, who'll get a taste of what we old fogeys have loved about Square Enix's flagship for decades. With combat that's simple but has some depth and a story that fits in the franchise's lineage, this ramp up to next month's Final Fantasy XV is a great way to enjoy a story you love while also sharing it with others who are experiencing it for the first time." -- Jason Wilson [full review]

Game Informer -- 8.25/10

"Similar to my experience playing Final Fantasy XIII-2, I eventually just had to tune out the plot to enjoy the gameplay. That's a shame, but it doesn't erase the entertaining battle system, the satisfaction of building an unstoppable monster collection, or the thrill of seeing your favorite characters back in action. The barrage of references might be lost on casual followers who don't have the nostalgia to draw from, but that's okay. World of Final Fantasy is aimed directly at fans with fond memories of the series' first 15 years." -- Joe Juba [full review]

CGMagazine -- 7.5/10

"World of Final Fantasy is [a] spin-off title that prioritizes delivering fan service instead of the sort of powerful story that we've come to expect from one of the best RPG franchises. While I still enjoyed a lot of my time with the game due to its charming characters, wealth of humor, and fun gameplay, ultimately the core experience feels like a forgettable one compared to the numbered entries." -- Cole Watson [full review]

Polygon -- 7/10

"World of Final Fantasy wants to be fan service for everybody, an almost impossible task in such a long-running, varied franchise. In that regard, the game may look like lighthearted filler on the surface. But those shimmers of something greater and World of Final Fantasy's more original, modern elements are worthwhile, even if they don't quite make up for the hours of annoyances that pay lip service to nostalgia." -- Allegra Frank [full review]

GamesRadar -- 3/5

"With a bit of editing, World of Final Fantasy would have been an easy recommendation. The plot may be up there on the anime nonsense scale, but ultimately, it's a fun, effervescent Saturday morning cartoon-inspired romp through a greatest hits of Final Fantasy characters, locations, creatures, and tunes, and its twists are genuinely intriguing. For fans of the series, getting to watch Edgar from Final Fantasy VI hang out with Vivi from Final Fantasy IX is a rare treat, and for newcomers, it's a bizarre, magical tale filled with outlandish concepts you could only get from Final Fantasy. It's just a shame that getting to those moments slowly devolves into a disappointing chore." -- David Roberts [full review]